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Rafi, the singing God

Can one describe God? In 1,000 words? Even in 10,000 words? It is impossible to capture the magic and genius of Mohammed Rafi, the singing God, whose voice you can go on listening to forever.

He lifted mediocre into sparkling gem. His usual was better than the best around him. The kind of range and brilliance he had is unparalleled. From low-pitched whispering songs like Tum se ek baar to high-pitched ones like the O duniya ke rakhwale climax, Rafi sang with ease. Another song which comes to mind is the thought-provoking number in Pyaasa. The song __ Yeh mehlon, yeh takhton __ Rafi begins the song as a murmur, gradually his voice rises and in the end, he gives full rein to his vocal prowess when he exposes the hypocrisy of the society __ his voice soars saying Jalado jalado ise phoonk dalo yeh duniya. Is it possible to imagine anyone else singing this song bringing out all the frustration, bitterness and helpless anger?

Any song, any mood, any artiste, any music director, any lyricist ___ Rafi breathed life into every song and sang with the same dedication and sincerity.

He was the voice of all stars __from a Dev Anand, a Pradeep Kumar, a Bharat Bhushan and a Shammi Kapoor to a Rajesh Khanna, a Rishi Kapoor and a Johny Walker. Rafi had this unique talent of varying his voice to suit the persona of the star he was singing for. If it was for Shammi Kapoor, Rafi sang with all gay abandon __ doing voice gymnastics __ exuberant, energetic, passionate. Tarif karoon kya uski brings Shammi Kapoor to life. You can close your eyes, listen to the song and imagine Shammi Kapoor doing all those acrobatics. Can you imagine a staid and sober Rafi singing such a song? He did and made generations of people his life-long admirers.

Again he sang in an entirely different style for Dev Anand __ the drawl, the romanticism __ he gave rich imagery through his brilliant singing. In a song like Khoya khoya chand, a typical Dev number, you can visualise him strolling over hills and valleys __ Rafi captured this and brought it out through his singing.

For Johny Walker, it was something else. Rafi disguised his voice superbly and mimiced the comedian __ in inimitable songs like Sar jo tera and Hum bhi agar bachche hote. If it was for Dharmendra, Rafi sang in a slightly nasal tone __ the soothing Hui sham unka is a fine example of this combo.

For Rajendra Kumar, Rafi again disguised his voice. You would think Rajendra Kumar was actually singing the song. Be it the nashafying Chalke teri ankhon mein or the mesmerising Kaun hai jo sapnon mein aya or the romantic Baharon phool barsao or the tearful Yaad na jaye or Yeh ansoo mere dil ki zubaan hai.

When you think of `jani‘ Raaj Kumar, Rafi brought out this `jani-ism‘. The songs are many __ Tujhko pukare mera pyar, Choolenedo nazuk hoton ko. Only Rafi could bring out the navrasas through his unmatched talent. In everyone’s favourite Suhani raat dhal chuki, Rafi’s smooth voice glides over you like honey. And the way he sings this intezar number in his intense voice makes this song everyone’s favourite.

Then take the romantic Hum aur tum aur yeh samaa __ Rafi who has sung almost all of Shammi Kapoor’s foot-tapping numbers, sings this in a soft, breezy way infusing it with gentle romanticism.

Yeh ansoo mere dil ki zubaan hai or Kabhi khud pe __ Rafi renders these songs with so much emotion and dard. They make you cry.

Rafi also sang all those-tear-jerkers for Dilip Kumar, the tragedy king who would sit alone in a corner and drown his sorrows singing dard-bhari gaane in Rafi’s pathos-filled voice __ Koi sagar dil ko behlata nahin.

The same Rafi also makes you jump and dance and fall all over while singing an Aaja aaja main hun pyar tera or a Mast baharon ka. This proves his versatility.

When it comes to qawwalis, there are no peers. Rafi’s voice has that teasing quality which is so essential for these type of songs. Be it Parda hai or Tumhe husn deke khuda ne or Pal do pal ka, Rafi mesmerises you.

In Na toh carvan ki talash hai __ the all-time classic __ Rafi makes a late entry and dominates the song with his soft voice bringing out the various meanings and nuances of `ishq‘.

Man tarpat Hari darshan ko aaj __ this is one bhajan which became an anthem. Rafi sang this with devotional fervour making people swoon in bhakti.

When we come to romantic numbers, it is difficult to choose any one song as an example. Bahosh-o-hawas main deewana __ in this rapturous number, Rafi fills each note and phrase with heavenly romanticism.

What amazes everyone is how Rafi, a teetotaller, could bring in so much nasha into the intoxicating melodies. Aaj is darja pilado __ the andaz with which he says `pilado‘ gives you nasha.

If you are in the mood for ghazals, then Rafi’s rendering of the gems of the golden era like Tumhari zulf ke saaye mein and Na kisiki aankh ka noor hoon will entrance you.

As for patriotic fervour, just listen to Rafi’s Yeh watan yeh watan or Jahan dal dal or Kar chale hum fida __ you will definitely be proud to be an Indian.

For classical numbers, again it is Rafi __ Madhuban mein and Kuhu kuhu __ are two shining examples.

Rafi had this unique way of breathing life into a song __ he would go slightly high-pitch(like in Hum bekhudi mein tumko where he says `chaleeeeeegaye‘). In Ehsaan tera hoga, just hear him say `mohabbat‘ when he sings mujhe tumse mohabbat hogayi hai. He puts in all the mohabbat into that one word. In Achchaji mein hari, listen to the way he says sarcastically `mera dil jalaaaaaaaonna‘. In mein nigahen ter chehre se, it is definitely wow the way he drawls `tauba tauba taubaa tauba‘. No one, I stress, no one can sing with his andaz and adas.

Mohd Rafi with Ravi and his son, Shakeel, Minoo Kartik and others

Rich and pure, Rafi’s voice is tinged with the kind of magic that is guaranteed to get to the heartstrings. And it enchanted generations.

After his death, the film industry has been desperately trying to find a replacement. The clones are many. But there will never be another Mohammed Rafi. It is impossible to capture the magic of Mohammad Rafi. The moods and genres he sang is unparalleled. Here I have tried to list out his songs sung in various moods and in different genres.

122 Blog Comments to “Rafi, the singing God”

Guys. I am a junior rafi sahaab fan (only 14 years old) but can say without hesitation that he is the voice of god. Listen to the song DIL KA SOONA SAAZ
I couldn’t sleep last night cause I was listening to rafi songs
Rafi sahaab is the greatest

I am just a music lover and to read these silly arguments about rafi & kishore makes me feel sick as both of them have given us good songs whilst they were alive. There are also many other singers who are also good in their own rights.
Every one should enjoy all types of music and it does not matter who has sung it.
If you asked me who’s the best out of all the singers then no doubt it would be rafi as he had a lot of variation in his songs and good to listen to.

I can’t understand the premise on which you have entered this discussion.
Let me tell you, I am a very big fan of Kishore Kumar ‘the entertainer’ and
perhaps no one comes close to KK interms of combined talents.

But here Ms. Utthara’s post is about Mohd Rafi the singer and I fully
agree with her that no one comes close to Rafi the singer.

If you wish to carry out an objective discussion, you are welcome
and there is no ‘al-quaida’ operating here. Let no one generalise.
There are true music lovers who adore their singing god and you’d do
a great favour to yourself and others, not to interefere a harmless
discussion on Rafi sab.

Shaayad badnaam main bhi naam hai. Chalo, take it in good spirits
and do a dhamaakedaar review or a write up and challenge this forum
on technical grounds.

And by the way, don’t call yourself a KK fan, cause KK would have
slapped you for writing this way and as a KK fan, I certainly am not
proud of your alias name.

Dear KK fans plz don’t distrub n argue with us with ur rubbush comparison, if u r a real fan of KK please write some article or comment on KK site, Bcs these is no new article on KK site since August 4, 2009 (Plz Note it is His Birth Date) and no comments from last 9 Hrs. Plez b a real do something 4 ur GOD
We enjoy this site.. n appreaciate all singers and their versatile tallents. Don’t try to convert our good times in rubbish

As you know that Kishoreda & Rafi sahab started their carrier in the same period, i.e. late 40s. Rafi sahab gained popularity and became the 1st choice of almost all composers within few years. What about Kishoreda??? If he was so versatile/quality singer and better than Rafi Sahab (as per your opinion), why he was jobless? Why he was rejected by almost all legendary composers like Naushad, O. P. Nayyar, Roshan, Madan Mohan, Sajjad, Ravi, Iqbal Qureshi, Ghulam Mohd., Chitra Gupt, and many more? Why he got his identity after more than 2 decades? As you are saying that after 70, Kishoreda’s era started. Yes, after Aradhana Kishoreda gained the popularity. Everybody knows the story that how Kishoreda got Aradhana and what politics was played by Bengali lobby. But just after few years, Rafi Sahab regained his No. 1 position. Rafi Sahab ruled more than 35 years. What about kishoreda? Just 4 – 5 years. Even during Kishore Era, Rafi sahab given many super hits. We all acknowledged that Kishoreda also is a legendary singer. He produced hundreds of quality gems. But it’s completely foolishness to compare him by Rafi Sahab. As per Manna Dey Sahab, from position 1 – 10 there is only Rafi Sahab. So, you Kishorean thinking that you know music better than Manna Dey?

We can understand your musical taste very well since you like the music of Amitabh Bachan’s films. There is no single musical movie in the list of his movies, only action movies. And you are judging Rafi Sahab abilities of singing? How dare you saying that Rafi Sahab voice was deteriorating. In which song you feel his deteriorated voice? Can you give me a single example?

As you know that Kishoreda & Rafi sahab started their carrier in the same period, i.e. late 40s. Rafi sahab gained popularity and became the 1st choice of almost all composers within few years. What about Kishoreda??? If he was so versatile/quality singer and better than Rafi Sahab (as per your opinion), why he was jobless? Why he was rejected by almost all legendary composers like Naushad, O. P. Nayyar, Roshan, Madan Mohan, Sajjad, Ravi, Iqbal Qureshi, Ghulam Mohd., Chitra Gupt, and many more? Why he got his identity after more than 2 decades? As you are saying that after 70, Kishoreda’s era started. Yes, after Aradhana Kishoreda gained the popularity. Everybody knows the story that how Kishoreda got Aradhana and what politics was played by Bengali lobby. But just after few years, Rafi Sahab regained his No. 1 position. Rafi Sahab ruled more than 35 years. What about kishoreda? Just 4 – 5 years. Even during Kishore Era, Rafi sahab given many super hits. We all acknowledged that Kishoreda also is a legendary singer. He produced hundreds of quality gems. But it’s completely foolishness to compare him by Rafi Sahab. As per Manna Dey Sahab, from position 1 – 10 there is only Rafi Sahab. So, you Kishorean thinking that you know music better than Manna Dey?

We can understand your musical taste very well since you like the music of Amitabh Bachan’s films. There is no single musical movie in the list of his movies, only action movies. And you are judging Rafi Sahab abilities of singing? How dare you saying that Rafi Sahab voice was deteriorating. In which song you feel his deteriorated voice? Can you give me a single example?

Dear kishorefan,We should answer you but we have the answer we should give offourse Kk was great actor and singer we have no problem but the problem comes when u compare him with mohd rafi…
As u said “rajesh khanna also rates 70% of his success for kishore da”do u have Rajesh Khanna voice when he said that if u don’t that is Ok ,Shammi Kapoor said if there was no Moh Rafi there was no Shammi Kapoor and same said by OPN one of the top music directors…mohd Rafi sang aroubd 20 songs for Rajesh khanna and all are super hit..
amithabh bachchan used mohd rafi for around 16 songs and shammi never used KK before sorry there is one song but after 1980…amithabh bachchan never was famous for his songs and all songs sang by amithabh bachchan himself was super hit and that mean because of amithabh bachchan songs became hit not because KK..as u know that KK stop to sing for amithabh bachchan in 1980’s and still amithabh bachchan films and songs was hot and the best amithabh bachchan film as music hit I think it is LP AAA and most songs sang by mohd rafi and RD who used KK more in his last film with Mohd rafi he was mohd rafi more than KK in film shaan….
as u said “music was little sick in 80’s but from 1968 to 1980 kishore sang more than 3000 songs but rafi sang hardly 300 songs” so why music was sick because kk was there but Mohd rafi not there what that mean?
SD burman best songs sang by mohd rafi even RD Burman for his first super hit film was with shammi and Mohd Rafi sang all songs of the film….
If am not wrong Mohd rafi sang more than 300 songs only for LP….I am not sure but I am sure that KK number songs sang by mohd rafi more than KK
so please please please he honest

104)
In 70s amitabh bacchan was all around and in his presence, everything appeared faded away under his shadow.He was not a romantic hero and music was not a major part of angry young man`s film,so please don`t play at Big b`s name to prove kk excellence.
please for God sake listen this song of amitabj bachhan and stop talking rubbish!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLM4iH3yUu4
this song make it very clear what Big B feel of Rafi sahab. and Big b`s fav movie is ganga Jamuna and he most of the time talks of song of the movie too with dilip sahab n rafi saab.
In 70s no one was near to fame of amitabh Bachhan and kis kumar only followed the wave by running in flow of this wave,nothing heroic in it!!!

But Rafi sahab challenged even Amitabh bachhan against the wave many times, how can u forget amar akbar anthony, both Amitabh bachhan and kis da gave his best with rap song my name is anthony etc, but Rafi sahab ,playbacking for Rishi kapoorji became , winner with parda hai parda and shirdi wale sai baba,.
Kishore major hit was with RD, here again kis da following the flow of hits, but Rafi sahab made many smashits in 70s by lesser known music directors and with leading LP who was parellel to RDb.Even Rd was established by major hits by rafi sahab in his initial movies.Rd surly ignored Rafi sahab in early 70s but, When RDburman`s career sunk in late 70s only Rafi sahab saved him with ham kisi se kam nahi,kya hua tera wada,. And Ham kisi se kam nahi had equal number of KK and rafi sahab songs,But unduabtably winner was Rafi sahab and not only proved he was not less than anyone rather declared he is forever leader beyond all.
Amitabh Bachhan couldn`t sleep whole night with reverence and adoration when next day he was to record for Rafi sahab in “chal mere bhai ” song and fell at Rafi sahab`s feet to pay homage!
Rajesh Khanna and dev sahab, both became flop(Rajesh Khanna super flop and dev anand a comedy) in kishore da`s best phase of 70s however when they had Rafi sahab voice,both were superstars.!

Kishore fan : Thank God Kishore saaheb is not around, for if he was alive – he would have smacked u for talking about legend rafi saaheb this way.
one fan really got the smack treatment already and u would have been the second.
by the which are the songs sung by legend rafi for kishore kumar saaheb? some one must list those eleven songs. go, have a drink now. and relax.

post 97,
please think 100 times before calling anybody gadha and virus
rafi ka voice sirf 1969 tak seemet tha. uske baad kishore ka zamana chalu ho gaya tha.
all the producers after 1970 wanted a good quality voice. they needed a superb voice who can sing any song i.e any type of song in a charming and romantic mood. that was kishore da.
amithabh bachchan always preferred kishore as his voice till kishore da left this world.
rafi has sung only countable no of songs for amit of which i can’t even remember one song. in 70’s rafi’s voice was deteriorating. producers wanted a voice that can suit any type of music. kishore da could record at least 12 songs a day even without moving. but rafi sahab sang only 3 songs a day.
in 50’s and 60’s there was hardly any good film. in that time also kishore da was high. sd burman da always preferred kishore da for romantic and comedy songs for dev sahab. he gave only ghazals for rafi.
rafi also sang only some romantic songs for rajesh khanna. of which hardly 5 songs are o.k. rajesh khanna always rates kishore as his first choice. because kishore could sing comedy as well as sad songs for rajesh khanna with totally different mood. rajesh khanna also rates 70% of his success for kishore da.
dev anand also always preferred kishore da. because kishore brings the dramatic mood in dev sahab as if stars and moon are dancing on the sky.
rafi sahab also sang good songs for dev anand but maximum no songs are sung by kishore da.
music was little sick in 80’s but from 1968 to 1980 kishore sang more than 3000 songs but rafi sang hardly 300 songs.
rafi sahab is no doubt a great singer. but voice of kishore da was greater.
his voice cannot be copied. no one can sing like him. but many copies rafi sahab .even sonu sings 80% of rafi sahab
that day after hearing “yeh jo chilman hai” by sonu nigam i was confused the whole day whether it was sonu or rafi sahab. then i came to know it was sonu when i saw the name list. you can also hear his song in you tube or in dvd
i am not creating controversy. i like kishore da so i am praising him. you can also come to kishore site and write your views. you all are welcome.
after kishore rafi is the best singer. kishore was a complete artist. that’s why i am praising kishore da. rafi sahab also is a great singer. his sad songs even kishore cannot sing in that high pitch. but romantic and comedy songs kishore was the best.

so everybody before commenting think n number of times.
your comment should be legible and strong not faltu as post 96.
kishore da ki jai jai khar

Hope you remember me. It is OK if you don’t. I am not that important. But at least do try to remember the advice given by your mentor/ guide/ philosopher who had advised you not to interact at this site which he considers as ‘Al-Qaida of music’ and we (the Rafi-fans) as eternal fools (revised the term recently to ‘ever-fools’), morons, knowledgeless on technicalities of music and what not. Hope you are able to recall. The tall (and hollow) claims of your mentor/ guide/ philosopher (that Kishore fans do not abuse the legends) stand thoroughly exposed with your post (no. 95). That mentor/ guide/ philosopher of you can still say ‘nothing wrong’ with your above said abusive post and may still argue that it is a ‘technical’ comment. Hats off to his maneuvering skills.

But on a serious note, with your above said post the ‘Certificate of Decency’ (self proclaimed) granted by some ‘super judges of all forms of music on this planet’ has proven to be as fake as your love for music.